Kleftiko Milos: How to Get There, by Boat or on Foot

• Top choice Kleftiko & Polyaigos Tour from US$185 Duration10 hours^[6]Rating4.82 from 282 reviews^[6]GuideLive guide: English^[6]CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours^[6]PaymentReserve now & pay later^[6] Check availability
• Milos & Polyaigos sailing from US$144 Duration10 hours^[7]Rating4.92 from 1,913 reviews^[7]GuideLive guide: Greek, English^[7]CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours^[7]PaymentReserve now & pay later^[7] See this tour
• Half-day speedboat cruise from US$155 Duration5 hours^[8]Rating4.93 from 648 reviews^[8]GuideLive guide: English^[8]CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours^[8]PaymentReserve now & pay later^[8] See this tour

Where Kleftiko is on the map of Milos

Kleftiko is the bay people picture when they think of Milos: pale cliffs, sea stacks and natural arches standing in clear water, with caves cut back into the rock. It sits on the island's south-west coast, far from the main road and further still from the port, which is why arriving there feels like reaching somewhere properly remote.

The name is not romantic in origin. Kleftiko means stolen in Greek, and the bay earned it as a pirate hideout, where raiders took supplies from passing ships and hid them in the caves and coves of the area.^[9]

Because the coast around it is steep and dry, there is no village, no harbour and no beach bar at Kleftiko. What you get instead is anchorage, deep clear water for swimming and snorkelling, and light that makes everyone on board reach for a camera. Cliffs stand over the bay, arches open into the sea, and the caves give shade when the sun is at its strongest. The nearest place of any size is Klima, about 5 kilometres from the port of Adamas, known for its multi-coloured fishing houses.^[10]

The two ways in: by sea or on foot

You do not need a boat tour to reach Kleftiko. While most visitors experience the bay from the sea, it is also possible to organise your own hike to Kleftiko Beach and walk in.^[1] That gives you a real choice, and the right answer depends on how much time you have, how comfortable you are on rough ground and whether you would rather swim from a boat or from the shore.

If you go by sea, you will leave from Adamantas, the island's main port, which sits in the centre of Milos. Boat tours around Milos start from there, and you can walk along the port and see the available options for yourself.^[2]

If you go on foot, treat it as a full day out rather than a stroll. You walk into a remote stretch of coast with no facilities at all, carrying everything you will need for the return leg, and the ground underfoot is loose in places. In exchange you swim in the bay on your own terms, without a boat under you, and you see a side of Milos that passengers on a cruise never get close to.

Sea stacks, arches and clear water on the south-west coast of Milos

Can you drive to Kleftiko on Milos?

Can you drive to Kleftiko on Milos? Not all the way. There is no road down to the bay, so a car gets you to the point where the walking route starts, not to the water itself.^[1] If you want to swim at Kleftiko and eat lunch on deck, that is a boat day. If you want to stand above the bay and earn the swim, that is a hike.

In practice you drive the southern roads as far as they go, park where the tarmac runs out and carry on on foot. Daylight, water, food and a fully charged phone matter more here than on a normal beach day, because the landscape is exposed and there is nothing to buy once you leave the road. Fill the tank before you set off, since the quiet side of the island has few places to stop.

A car is still the best way to see the rest of what Milos has above the waterline. Sarakiniko Beach, the most well-known shore on the island, lies just five kilometres from Plaka,^[11] so hire a car alongside your boat trip rather than instead of it.

The Kleftiko Milos hike: what to expect

The Kleftiko Milos hike is not a signposted trail with a cafe at the end. It is a rough walk across dry, stony ground in full sun, and the final descent involves scrambling and, in places, a few moves on rock with your hands. If that sounds like a miserable afternoon rather than a good story, take the boat.

Go early, and go outside the hottest weeks if you can. Carry far more water than you think you need, wear shoes with real grip rather than sandals, cover your head and shoulders, and tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. Mobile signal is not something to rely on out there.

Once you are down at the water, the reward is a swim in a memorable setting, with caves and arches to explore and no queue for the sea. Snorkelling works well here, because the rock walls drop away into deeper water and the bay stays clear. Plan to be back on the road well before dark, and remember that the walk out is uphill and hotter than the walk in.

What a Kleftiko boat day looks like

Most cruises loop around the west and north of Milos and stop to swim several times. On the way you may pass Sarakiniko Beach, the most well-known shore on the island, five kilometres from Plaka;^[11] the Glaronisia islets, three small uninhabited volcanic rocks off the north coast whose name means Seagull Islands and which are famous for hexagonal basalt columns rising from the sea;^[12] and Klima, the village of multi-coloured fishing houses about 5 kilometres from the port of Adamas.^[10]

Boats often go further out to Polyaigos, the Aegean Sea's biggest uninhabited island.^[13] The route may also take in Sikia Cave, a sea cave that was once completely covered until its roof collapsed and left an open top showing the blue Aegean sky.^[14] Kleftiko itself is usually where the boat lingers longest, because the water is clear and the caves give snorkellers somewhere to explore.

A full day on the water is genuinely long. A Kleftiko Milos boat tour guide describes full-day trips as running 6-8 hours, and sometimes up to 12 depending on sea conditions.^[3] Eat a proper breakfast, pack a hat and a light layer for the ride back, and do not plan anything ambitious for the evening.

Half day or full day: choosing a Kleftiko cruise

Length and price vary a lot between boats, so compare before you commit. A half-day speedboat cruise to Kleftiko with snorkelling runs 5 hours and starts from US$155, with a live English-speaking guide.^[8] A guided day cruise to Kleftiko with lunch runs 9.5 hours from US$152, with guides in English, French and Greek.^[15]

The longest option here is the Milos Boat Tour: Kleftiko & Polyaigos Swimming With Meals, the trip booked through this site. It runs 10 hours from US$185 with a live English-speaking guide, and its stops include Klima, Arkoudes, Sarakiniko Beach, Glaronisia, Pollonia, Poliegos, Thiorichia Beach, Gerakas Beach, Kleftiko Caves, Sykia Cave and Vani Beach.^[6] It is rated 4.82 from 282 reviews.^[6]

If you would rather sail, the Adamas full-day sailboat tour to Milos and Polyaigos runs 10 hours from US$144 and is rated 4.92 from 1,913 reviews.^[7] Shorter sails exist too, including a semi-private sailing day to Kleftiko that runs 8 hours from US$150.^[16] Whichever you pick, check what meals and drinks come with the ticket before you book.

Seasons, wind and swimming conditions

Milos's sailing season runs from late spring through early autumn, specifically May through October.^[4] If a boat trip to Kleftiko is the point of your holiday, plan your visit inside that window rather than hoping for a winter crossing.

Summer brings the Meltemi, a strong seasonal northerly wind that blows from late spring to early autumn and often peaks in July and August. In the right conditions it creates an ideal sailing breeze for experienced crews,^[17] which for passengers means a lively ride rather than a flat calm. Route and swim stops naturally depend on the day.

The swimming is the payoff. Around Milos the Aegean reaches 23-26°C (73-79°F) in July to September, described as ideal temperatures for long swims and snorkelling.^[5] Bring a rash vest if you burn easily, plenty of high-factor sunscreen, and a dry bag for the crossing. A light windproof layer helps on the way back, when the wind picks up and wet skin starts to feel cold.

Plan your Kleftiko day

1. Decide how you want to arrive

   Boat or foot are the two options. Boats leave from Adamantas in the centre of the island;^[2] hiking in on your own is possible too.^[1]

2. Pick your dates inside the season

   The sailing season runs May through October,^[4] and the Aegean around Milos is 23-26°C (73-79°F) in July to September.^[5]

3. Choose half day or full day

   Half-day speedboat trips run 5 hours from US$155,^[8] while the Kleftiko and Polyaigos tour runs 10 hours from US$185.^[6]

4. Book and check the terms

   These listings offer reserve now and pay later and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, so read the terms before you commit.^[6]

5. Pack for sun and spray

   Water, sunscreen, a hat, a rash vest and a light windproof layer cover most days on the water, plus shoes with grip if you are walking in.

Common questions